Ed Miliband has said he is "bringing back socialism" to Britain as
he unveiled new plans to strengthen the minimum wage ahead of the Labour
Party conference.

Standing in a street in Brighton, the Labour leader claimed David Cameron's government would stand only for the "privileged few" as he promised to deliver an economy that "works for the working people".

In a question-and-answer session, Mr Miliband was asked when he would “bring back socialism”. He replied: “That’s what we are doing, Sir.”

Speaking ahead of the Labour conference, Mr Miliband detailed a series of policies intended to appeal to Labour voters, including scrapping the “bedroom tax”, ending zero hours contracts and opposing the privatisation of Royal Mail.

The conference, which begins today, will focus on the cost of living “crisis”. Mr Miliband is expected to outline measures to tackle rising energy bills and encourage the growth of small businesses.

He is likely to come under intense scrutiny over whether his plans are affordable and whether he is the right man to lead his party.

A survey by BBC One’s Sunday Politics show found that three in 10 Labour councillors believe the party would stand a better chance of winning the next general election without Mr Miliband as leader.

Mr Miliband, who had earlier strolled along Brighton seafront with his wife Justine and their two children, said: “This next election is going to come down to the oldest questions in politics: whose side are you on and who will you fight for?”

He said that people on the minimum wage were worse off because of the rising cost of living. He criticised global banks that make large profits but claim they cannot afford to pay their cleaners “a bit more”.

Dressed in a grey V-neck jumper and jeans, Mr Miliband delivered his speech on a portable stage by Brighton Dome, the arts venue.

He said: “We are going to scrap the bedroom tax, that’s what I mean by a government that fights for you. And we are fighting for all of the low-paid people around our country.

“One of the proudest achievements of the last Labour government was the national minimum wage, making work pay for people.

“But under David Cameron’s government people are falling behind, the national minimum wage now paying people £20 less after inflation than it did when David Cameron came to office. That’s just wrong.

“When we see that happening and when we think about one of the big banks, do we really think they can’t afford to pay their cleaners a bit more?”

He said it was “wrong” that millions of people are “going out to work unable to afford to bring up their families”.

He added: “The Labour government will put it right, we will strengthen the national minimum wage, we will make work pay for the workers of Britain.

“That’s what I mean by a government that fights for you: abolishing the bedroom tax, strengthening the national minimum wage, child care there for parents who need it.

“That’s what I mean by tackling the cost of living crisis at this conference, that’s what I mean by a government that fights for you.”

Mr Miliband has appointed Alan Buckle, the deputy chairman at accountants KPMG, to investigate how the role and powers of the Low Pay Commission may be extended to strengthen the minimum wage. Labour claims that if the national minimum wage had kept up with inflation, the £6.49 rate would be 45p higher now.

If increased to restore its value, someone working 37 hours a week would be £865 better off, before tax.

Mr Buckle will investigate how to restore the minimum wages value, and whether sectors such as finance and IT can afford to pay a higher rate. The party believes one million workers could get a pay rise under its plans.

Mr Miliband said: “Right across the country, from all walks of life, people are facing this cost of living crisis. There will be some people who say the interests of the low paid and the squeezed middle are just different.

“Well they are wrong. Under David Cameron’s government, he has been Prime Minister for 39 months, and in 38 of those months prices have risen faster than wages. That is a record, by the way.

“Why does he refuse to act? He refuses to act because of who he stands for, he stands for just a privileged few at the top.”

Following his speech, Mr Miliband said he was “fighting the battle for economic equality, for social equality and for gender equality, too. That is a battle that is not yet won in our country”.

He also announced plans under which primary schools would be forced by law to look after pupils from 8am until 6pm.

The Labour leader said it “doesn’t make sense in this century” that some schools still close in the midafternoon, when both parents more often work.

He promised to “legislate for a primary school guarantee that every school is an 8am to 6pm school”, as he will use the party conference to set out plans to help families struggling with the rising cost of living.

Under the Labour proposals, parents would be able to sue local education authorities or free schools that failed to ensure “wraparound” care for every pupil.

In an interview with BBC Scotland, Mr Miliband defended his decision to refer the Unite union to the police over allegations of vote-rigging in Falkirk.

His intervention prompted public clashes with union leaders and a climb-down after the police investigation was dropped.

Mr Miliband said: “I think with every stage in the process we have followed the correct procedures, we even sent the report to the police to see whether there was any grounds for criminal action.”

He added: “The candidate around whom there was controversy is no longer going to be the candidate, the constituency remains in special measures, the scheme under which people joined has been suspended and we’re embarked on a major reform of our party, so I think all the way along we’ve followed the right process.”